St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-28
Gel. Nelson's Last Will to Stand in Spite
of Senator Voorhees, El0quencs to
the Contrary.
Still No Settlement Between Killers and
Coopers---The Police Commissions
Doings.
The National Baptists Discuss Foreign
MissiOns---Who Is F. W. Gill, of
Minneapolis.
REVEALING IN THE MIRE.
Large Crowds Drink in the Holds
don Divorce Suit.

don Divorce Suit.
The sensational and filthy Hodsdon
divorce case, which has been before the
public for a long time, was called in the
district court before Judge Rea yester-
day morning, and the usual crowd as
sembled to hear the disgusting partlcu-
lars. Mrs. Hods;lon alleged i'll her com
plant that her husband had been guilty
of incest and adultery, and had treated
her and the children in cruel and in
human manner, and had even made her
work ON the farm and furnish her own
clothing. The HodsdonS own property
at Lake Amelia valued at about $4,000,
and have eleven children, nearly all
grown up. Mrs. HodSdon was on the
stand all day. In beginning her teSti-
mony she said:
have been married forty-one years. When
we were first married there was young slrl
with whom my husband committed adultery
before we were married. He was tired by me
church and l went 10 my father $. We dlu
did not separate; he used to make my father
house his home. He soon went TO sea ana
went TO my fathers house III Maine. We
came TO Minnesota twenty-four years ago.
When we came here he preached in ST An
thony. We moved across the river when the
reservation was opened. Romenia,the Oldest
daughter. was 10 years old when we sent her
10 Mr. King IA minister for private instrue,
ton. In ten days he took her home ana
would call her at 3 or in the morning ana
sculd her, and tried 10 make her confess that
King had ruined her, So that he could get
money from King.
Mrs. Hodsd0n, with tears running
down her face, then went on to tell how
Mr.. HodSdon had been convicted OF
criminal intimacy with his daughter
Romenia, and had served term III
state prison for the 0fense.
q
formed the acquaintance OF Il Mrs. Hall,
continued Mrs. Hlodsdon, with whom he be-
came very intimate. She went with hlm all
over the farm. She finally got so That she
came to the house and asked my husband TO
go and walk with her. The children didn
like ii and objected. One night went 10 bed
and left him in the kitchen. Soon after
went to bed he came and dragged me out OF
bed and said he should beat me terribly, and
finally said if | would sign paper consent
ing to his boarding with Mrs Hall he would
not modest me. l signed that and he went TO
Mrs. Hall and has boarded with her since.
Here large number of letters written
by Mrs. Hall to Mr.. HodsdOn. upholding
the free love doctrine, were read. One
of these letters compared HodSdon to
the Prophet Isaiah. Mrs. I0dsdon re-
lated at some length the action of her
husband. and declared that the girls
had been Obliged toleave home, fearing
that he would criminally assault them.
He had frequently called ner proSll-
tute, and said that the children were
Legitimate. In regard to the property
Mrs. Hodsdon said:
He was so poor when we were married that
i paid the minister, but he gave it back 10
me. \ friend gave him a pair of pants for
the wedding, as he didn't have any. l useu
to NOW, hoe and make hay stacks while he
signed papers, she continued. Il think this
was kept up about seventeen years. had a
perfect dread of the courts, the girls didn't
want to testify. and l hated to drag in this
whole mess of misery and disgrace. This
whole matter could have been settled Of
fered to take $4,000 and deed all my right.
The farm is now worth $4,000. Within four
weeks he has asked me TO sign deed to sell
fourteen acres at $500 an acre. refused,
and he said he would sell anyway
During the afternoon Mrs. Hodsdon
stated that when her husband became
angry he would not swear, but would
use the vilest language imaginable, and
she refused to repeat it in court. She
also testified that he brought book
called Chastity, or Our Secret Sins"
into the house and insisted on reading
it to the girls. The hearing will be con-
tinued to-day.